Dutch Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop has warmly welcomed the new United States strategy in Afghanistan. The minister said that in his speech on Tuesday evening, US President Barack Obama had “set out a clear and recognisable vision for the continuation of the mission in Afghanistan”.

Mr Van Middelkoop endorsed Mr Obama’s priorities, including the July 2011 deadline set for the start of a US troop pullout. He said it was wise that Mr Obama had not referred to an exit strategy but rather to a necessary transition in which responsibility was handed over to the Afghan authorities.

“In Uruzgan, the Netherlands may be able to take the first steps towards transferring responsibility to the Afghans next year,” said Mr Van Middelkoop.

He said the US government was right to call on its allies also to supply extra troops. Dutch daily De Telegraaf reports on Wednesday that US Secretary of State has made an official request to Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen to extend the Dutch mission in Afghanistan.

At present the Netherlands has around two thousand troops stationed in Afghanistan, and Mr Van Middelkoop stressed that the Dutch government has not yet made a decision on its contribution to the international force in Afghanistan when the present Dutch mission expires on 1 August 2010. However, previously the government has said that a continued mission on the present scale would not be possible. A majority of MPs have voted in favour of a Dutch withdrawal.
 

Dutch Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop - ANP